That's our record on off-trail adventures this Spring.

We tried Green Mountain, but the monkey that rides on my back didn't permit a summit.

We tried a new route up Mailbox Peak, but for a whole host of reasons it wasn't going to happen.

You'd think we'd have tried something a little easier to ensure we got a summit in the bag (and I did get Mailbox before getting stormed off Mt. Washington), but if you get the summit on every hike you're not trying hard enough.

Plus, we'd heard about an easy off-trail trip to the seldom visited Quartz Mountain.

"Delightfully open second-growth forest and easy travelling."

"A pleasant hike among big trees and open forest!"

"It was an enjoyable trip."

"The travel uphill was pleasant without any obstacles or real blow downs."

LIES! DIRTY DIRTY LIES!

(I won't besmirch the good names of the liars that perpetuated this heinous lie, but at least one of them (Martin) is a frequent TNAB hiker.)

In reality, the climb pretty much sucked from the moment we left the newly paved road to fight through salmonberries to the cliffy steeps to the brush and unnecessary ups and downs.

To be fair, it wasn't bad as the alternate route we tried on Mailbox. That was a truly terrible experience. At least there were no massive blowdowns requiring creative climbing to make it through. This was just moderately terrible. We bailed after only 2,000 feet of gain.

On the way down we cursed the trip reports full of bravado. I won't deny making light of some trips and focusing on the good, but I hope I've never led anyone astray. And if I have, let this be payback.